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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Chennai Grand Masters: Nihal Sarin outwits Arjun Erigaisi in slow-burn duel
Nihal Sarin A fan of rapid and blitz, Indian shows his mettle in classical CHENNAI: Long known as a 'speed demon' for his exploits in rapid and blitz, Nihal Sarin decided last year to change lanes and focus on classical chess. With blue-ribbon events like the FIDE Grand Swiss and the FIDE World Cup on the horizon, he sought out Vishnu Prasanna, world champion D Gukesh's former coach. And, the results began to show when he claimed silver at the Asian Continental Chess Championship in May. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! But at the Chennai Grand Masters, he had a difficult start: a first-round loss to Vincent Keymer, a hard-fought draw with Anish Giri, and a tough setback against Vidit Gujrathi. However, on Sunday in the fourth round, Nihal broke through and eked out his first win of the tournament against the top seed, Arjun Erigaisi in a humdinger. Poll Which player do you believe has the best chance of winning the Chennai Grand Masters? Vincent Keymer Arjun Erigaisi Anish Giri 'He has a great passion for rapid and blitz. But he feels that he has stagnated and is underrated in the classical format. So that's something that has been bothering him. We started working together in March this year. He approached me at the closing ceremony of the Global Chess League last year, but we only picked it up around five months later,' Vishnu told TOI. For someone trying to slow himself down to the pace of classical chess, the 21-year-old from Thrissur couldn't quite resist the occasional yawns and strolls during his games here. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like At 62, Laura San Giacomo Is Still Turning Heads The Noodle Box Undo 'Classical games are very long… all my games went about for almost four hours,' Nihal said with a smile. 'I was not happy with how it (the tournament) was going. But in general, I'm happy with the way I'm playing. I'm just trying to play some exciting chess. Trying to not think too much about the result. Obviously, losing hurts. It was quite hard for me after yesterday's game. I just tried my best to somehow find the motivation to keep playing. And, today Arjun defended like an absolute machine, but I think I did get quite lucky. ' Despite the defeat, Arjun (2.5 points) remains second in the standings, right behind Vincent Keymer (3.5 points) who split the point with Anish Giri. Vincent is the favourite: Anand For a brief moment, the focus shifted away from the games to Viswanathan Anand, as he walked into the venue. The five-time world champion sized up the tournament favourite: 'Vincent is obviously the favourite. Until today (Sunday), Arjun was placed just as well. But his defeat today means Vincent now leads by a whole point. While Arjun can definitely score, a point is a point,' Anand told TOI. W hen asked what advice he would give young players to stay at the top, Anand joked, referring to his own five titles: 'I think 'Mere Paas Panch Hai' (I have five) is a good starting point. I think he (Gukesh in this context) knows what to do.' He went on to add: 'In general, sport is evolving very formats, new things. The only thing I can do is, if they ask, describe how I face a certain situation, and then it's their job to convert that.' Results (Round 4): Masters: Murali Karthikeyan bt Jordan van Foreest; Ray Robson drew with Liang Awonder; Nihal Sarin bt Arjun Erigaisi; V Pranav drew with Vidit Gujrathi; Vincent Keymer drew with Anish Giri. Challengers: Diptayan Ghosh bt GB Harshvardhan; Pa Iniyan bt Aryan Chopra; B Adhiban drew with M Pranesh; Leon Mendonca bt D Harika; Abhinmanyu Puranik bt R Vaishali. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Hindustan Times
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Indian GM Nihal Sarin turns to D Gukesh's ex-coach, former trainer brutally remarks ‘He has certainly stagnated'
Considered to be one of the best in faster formats of chess, Nihal Sarin is attempting to shift his focus to classical chess. The Indian Grandmaster has now moved to D Gukesh's former trainer, GM Vishnu Prasanna. Prasanna was Gukesh's trainer until Grzegorz Gajewski took over in 2022. Nihal Sarin has now moved to D Gukesh's former trainer.(Instagram) He has been working with Nihal since March this year, and their main work has been on improving the youngster's classical rating, so that he performs well in the FIDE Grand Swiss and the FIDE World Cup later this year. Speaking to ESPN, his new trainer said, 'We're trying to figure out what can we do to make him show results based on the way he approaches chess, based on his talent.' Meanwhile, Nihal also conducts most of his training online at According to his profile, he has played 55,282 games on the platform. 22,823 of those have been in bullet chess, a one-minute format. Vishnu further added, 'I have to adapt to Nihal. Definitely, there's a lot of talent. I've never seen someone like him. But we're seeing how to make it more practical, how to turn that talent to results.' 'He has certainly stagnated' Meanwhile, his former trainer Srinath Narayanan told ESPN, 'He has certainly stagnated.' 'It is important to look forward, you cannot keep looking backwards. Stagnation is natural for someone so young at the elite level, but the next push can come only with confidence,' he added. At the ongoing Chennai Masters, Nihal lost to Vidit Gujrathi, collapsing from a winning position in his third round fixture. He only has half a point out of three games. He also threw away a winning position against Anish Giri in the second round and should have drawn against Vincent Keymer in his opener. He ended up losing to Keymer.
News18
4 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Gukesh Suffers Crushing 1-5 Loss To Poland's Jan-Krzystof Duda In One-Off Blitz Match
Last Updated: Gukesh lost to Jan-Krzysztof Duda in a blitz match in Katowice, Poland. Duda won 5-1, showcasing his tactical sharpness and speed, disrupting Gukesh's rhythm. Reigning World Chess Champion D Gukesh suffered a rare defeat at the hands of Jan-Krzysztof Duda, the 2021 FIDE World Cup winner and one of Poland's brightest chess stars, in a much-anticipated blitz clash in Katowice, Poland. The match, which consisted of 6 games, saw the Indian GM fall victim to the Pole in a 5-1 wipeout. Gukesh, who made history earlier in 2025 by becoming the youngest-ever undisputed world champion, entered the blitz event with momentum and confidence. Known for his calm nerves and deep calculation, the 18-year-old Indian Grandmaster has excelled in classical formats but has showcased a need to improve more in rapid and blitz time controls. However, Duda—renowned for his tactical sharpness and fearless play in faster formats—seized the initiative early. Playing on home turf, the Polish Grandmaster outpaced Gukesh in critical moments, particularly in the middlegame, where his intuition and speed proved decisive. Duda, after losing out on Game 1, went on a rampage against Gukesh, winning the next five games in a row. Duda's aggressive opening preparation and dynamic style disrupted Gukesh's rhythm, eventually forcing errors that sealed the result. (more to follow…) view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
First Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
Divya Gets Grand Welcome After World Cup, Can She Handle Fame? First Sports With Rupha Ramani
Divya Gets Grand Welcome After World Cup, Can She Handle Fame? |First Sports With Rupha Ramani |N18G Divya Deshmukh returned home after winning the FIDE World Cup, and the welcome she received proves she's already a national sensation. But with fame, endorsements, and expectations chasing her at just 19, can she stay grounded? In a sport where legends like Viswanathan Anand paved the way and prodigies like Gukesh and R redefined celebrity, Divya now carries the weight of an entire generation. But unlike many who've stumbled under pressure, Divya's focus is razor-sharp, evident in how she dedicated her win to her late coach, Rahul Joshi. From her skyrocketing brand value to her unshakable humility, Rupha Ramani brings you the story of a champion who is getting started. See More
Time of India
03-08-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
India has made its mark, need to continue winning run to dominate world chess: GM Divya
1 2 Nagpur: FIDE Women's World Cup winner and India's newest Grandmaster, Divya Deshmukh, said that while Indian players have firmly established themselves on the global chess stage, the next goal must be complete dominance. "We've made our mark, now we must win every tournament and ensure India becomes the top chess nation in the world," she said at a grand felicitation event organised by the state govt in Nagpur on Saturday. Divya, who was visibly moved by the support, recalled how overwhelmed she felt when she first met Viswanathan Anand in 2017 during a tournament. "Back then, I never imagined that one day I'd come back to Nagpur after such a big win and receive so much love. It's a dream come true," she said. Moving ahead, she said that the Candidates tournament, set to take place in 2026, is her next big aim. "I want to win it and become the World Champion," she said. Speaking on India's growing chess culture, Divya mentioned players like D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa, who have helped raise India's profile internationally. "But we need to keep up the momentum. There's so much hidden talent in this country that needs to be identified and given the right platform," she added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Access all TV channels anywhere, anytime Techno Mag Learn More Undo Divya shared that she admires World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen as her favourite chess player, and tennis legend Novak Djokovic as her sports idol. She also credits yoga and meditation for helping her manage the stress and pressure of high-level competition. "Spirituality has helped me stay focused and calm," she shared. Talking about her journey, Divya revealed that she began playing chess at the age of five. "My mom wanted me to play a sport but was worried I might get physically hurt. My sister used to play badminton at an academy in Shankar Nagar. The same building also housed a chess academy. That's how it began," she said. By age six, she was playing professionally, and by seven, she had won her first national tournament. "It meant sacrificing a lot — no TV, fewer friends, a very different social life. But when I look back now, it was all worth it," she said. "Moments like these make the temporary distractions feel irrelevant," Divya added. She recalled that during her FIDE World Cup games, her parents weren't allowed inside to cheer, but she felt the support of 1.3 billion Indians. "That thought alone gave me strength," she said. "There's always room for improvement, but this win has taught me about the true meaning of success." Despite her professional chess commitments, Divya stressed the importance of education. "Knowledge is power. I don't want to give up my studies even as I pursue chess at the highest level," she said. She hopes her victory will bring greater attention to the game, so more children and parents consider chess as a serious option. "This moment is very special for me," Divya said. "If my win inspires even one person to pick up the chessboard, I'll feel fulfilled." Her father, Dr Jitendra Deshmukh, said, "Kids will be kids. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose — as parents, we just need to be there for them, no matter what." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
